116 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



marked as a degradation to a lady's fingers. In general the domestics 

 are placed upon the floor, with their legs crossed, round an idle mistress, 

 who finds something like occupation in overlooking their labour, and 

 reproving its failures. They do not hold the work in their hands, in the 

 way common with us, but place on their knees a small hard stuffed 

 pillow, to which one end of the article is attached, while the sewing 

 proceeds towards the other. 



Among the occasional occupations of females of the higher ranks are 

 tambouring and making artificial flowers. The fabric of the latter, and 

 the produce of the skill employed upon it, have been already noticed. 

 The ladies perform their tambour-work with a very small frame ; their 

 labours in this way are trifling, though the work is often devoted to 

 particular favourites. In these employments they display little fancy, 

 and appear quite satisfied with their powers of imitation. 



Domestic cares and occupations seem to be, in a great measure, out 

 of the question. Among the most affluent, I do not think that any 

 great pains are taken with the family arrangements of the table, and 

 they have commonly a superabundance of slaves to manage these matters, 

 and to absolve the ladies from all concern in them. Yet few are so high 

 as not to value and cultivate skill in the preparation of confectionary, and 

 without such skill there appears no chance of being esteemed a good 

 housewife. They pique themselves upon the excellence of their sweet- 

 meats, and make with them very pretty presents, generally enveloped 

 in fancifully cut paper, on which much time and pains have been ex- 

 pended. When guests are to be entertained, the interference of the 

 mistress appears to be a little more immediate and active. I have 

 observed ladies, to whose tables I have been admitted, manifesting great 

 anxiety to excel in their puddings ; nothing, which is deemed good, is 

 spared in the composition of them ; and as it seems a settled point, that 

 each lady's pudding is to be peculiarly her own, the guests feel themselves 

 strongly called upon to eat of it with avidity, and to praise it with ardour. 

 No such praise of other articles is necessary ; for this is almost the only 

 dish, of which a Brazilian lady acknowledges the superintendence, and 



